What did you do to your Ranger today? (Part Deux!)

[TeroMarmerlo]

what disadvantages can UP have? Are you joking?

 

[Uncle Gump]

 

[fred m]

I rotated the tires and checked the rear brake shoes.

Noticed a small coolant leak at the upper radiator hose/thermostat housing, I’ll keep an eye on it but will probably wait until my next coolant change to fix it.

Odometer picture:

 

[G8orFord]

There's positives and negatives to Google Maps and standalone GPS map systems. With full cellular service, it's hard to beat Google Maps because they are as up to date as any map you'l get. For instance, I've been on a trip from Florida to Las Vegas since last Saturday and I've used bot the built-in maps on my Sync system (2016 Explorer and Google Maps. On two occasions Google has changed a route because they knew of road closures. Had I trusted the built-in maps, I would have ended up backtracking or detouring through who knows what. There's also the ability to quickly ask Goggle where the nearest gas station or restaurant is and map it in and notifications of accidents and speed traps. The big downfall is when you lose cell reception, but, if you know you're going to an area with spotty coverage, you can download offline maps for those places.

FWIW, I generally use Google Maps through Android Auto on my other vehicles, but I like to have the built-in maps for backup. The Explorer with Sync 2 doesn't have AA compatibility. I have just been listening to Pandora and iHeartRadio over BT and using my phone as the screen for the maps. The voice directions come over the sound system since it's connected to BT. I already have the hardware waiting for me at home to upgrade the Explorer to Sync 3 when I get back. Wanted to do it before the trip, but shipping didn't work out in time.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I have a $50 refurbished Garmin standalone, I love it. I can put it in anything with a cigarette lighter. Had it in my Ranger going to Ohio, had it in the '150 going to Illinois. It just sits there doing its thing without tying up the radio or a phone.



Anyway yesterday I slipped the camper off:



And hauled off a load of the only kind of windfalls I get:

 

[Uncle Gump]

That looks pretty much like the Garmin I bought for my moms car... Not going to knock them... I like it and the wife has one in her car and uses it daily.

But the minute you hit a trail... or log a way point...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

That looks pretty much like the Garmin I bought for my moms car... Not going to knock them... I like it and the wife has one in her car and uses it daily.

But the minute you hit a trail... or log a way point...

Yeah, I got it for roads.

On the trail ride we wondered around the unmarked trails lost like everybody else.

 

[Curious Hound]

I can put it in anything with a cigarette lighter.

Couldn't you get one that doesn't smoke?

 

[97RangerXLT]

Couldn't you get one that doesn't smoke?

I thought if you let the smoke out of any electronics, that is what kills them.

AJ

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Couldn't you get one that doesn't smoke?

Where is the fun in that?

I thought if you let the smoke out of any electronics, that is what kills them.

AJ

It is just really really hard to put the magic smoke back in them is all.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I have a handful of Garmin's, first one I got was 8 years ago, a Nuvi 255w for $60 on Craigslist, since then I I've found 2 or 3 more 255W's for $5-15 at goodwill, and some newer Garmin with traffic at a garage sale for $20... cheap enough that they just live in different vehicles (when you have 4 or 5, it comes up...), even got a handlebar mount for my motorcycle... If you put them in offroad mode and turn on the tracer line it helps, and set the map to North up instead of all twisty... The newer one is better about waypoints and has better logic, but they all take you on stupid detours to save 4' of distance, or tell you to "continue on the same stupid road you've been driving on for 4 hours" every so often...

 

[Snoranger]

GPS... doesn’t that come built into the factory radio? It’s only a $750 option ($500 with the $250 XLT discount.)

 

[Curious Hound]

GPS... doesn’t that come built into the factory radio? It’s only a $750 option ($500 with the $250 XLT discount.)

It didn't in '93.

 

[sgtsandman]

It wasn’t an option with the 2011 and I didn’t want all the extra crap that would have had to come with the 2019 in order to get GPS.

I’ll stick with the independent unit.

 

[golley]

pulled the front calipers, checked the pads, regreased the guides and blead them. i don't think the jasper that owned it previously ever did bleed them clean. word to the wise, pays to replace the brake fluid every couple of years or so. the right front tends to seize up if you don't.